OSHA’s Radiation Standard

The definition of a “Radiation Area” means any area, accessible to personnel, in which there exists radiation at such levels that a major portion of the body could receive in any 1 hour a dose in excess of 5 millirem, or in any 5 consecutive days a dose in excess of 100 millirem. A high radiation area means any area, accessible to personnel, in which there exists radiation at such levels that a major portion of the body could receive in any one hour a dose in excess of 100 millirem. An employer may permit an individual in a restricted area to receive doses to the whole body greater than those permitted above as long as the dose to the whole body does not exceed 3 Rems during any calendar quarter.

OSHA Ionizing Radiation Requirements: 

Every employer shall supply appropriate personnel monitoring equipment, such as film badges, pocket chambers, pocket dosimeters, or film rings, and shall require the use of such equipment [29 CFR1910.1096(d)(2)].

Employers shall maintain records of the radiation exposure of all employees for whom personnel monitoring is required and advise each employee of their individual exposure at least yearly [29 CFR1910.1096(d)]. At the request of a former employee an employer shall furnish to the employee a report of the employee's exposure to radiation records [29CFR1910.1096 (o) (1)].

Based on the above requirements, you can provide personal monitoring such as a dosimeter to measure the radiation levels. If the radiation levels are within permissible levels, you can discontinue continuous monitoring and perhaps check once every three months. Please record the measurements of radiation exposure.

If radiation exists beyond permissible levels, appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as a lead apron must be worn. The employer is responsible for monitoring the radiation levels and instituting engineering, work practice, and administrative controls to ensure that employees are not exposed to dangerous levels of radiation.